Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Bright ISS Passes Near Bright Planets and International Observe the Moon night (14-19 October, 2021)
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| The ISS as seen from Brisbane on the evening of Saturday 16 October at 18:48 AEST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), the white line is the path of the ISS, the other lines are paths of other satellites. Click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Saturday 16 October at 20:53 ACDST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), the white line is the path of the ISS, the other lines are paths of other satellites. Click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Perth on the evening of Saturday 16 October at 19:56 AWST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), the white line is the path of the ISS, the other lines are paths of other satellites. Click to embiggen. |
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| All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Saturday 16 October for Brisbane. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Saturday 16 October for Adelaide. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Saturday 16 October for Perth. |
If it is not bucketing down rain where you are, over the next few days there are a series of bright ISS passes in the late evening twilight/early evening. The ISS passes close to the the bright planets Jupiter, Saturn and Venus on some occasions. On the 16th, which is International Observe the Moon night, most locations except Alice Springs and Darwin see the ISS pass close to the lineup of Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon. 17th sees a close pass to Jupiter from Adelaide. 16th a close pass to Saturn from Hobart. 15th a close pass to Venus from Perth and Saturn from Sydney.
The following tables are from data provided from Heavens Above. Particularly impressive passes are highlighted in yellow.
Passes from Adelaide (ACDST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Oct | -0.4 | 04:08:25 | 10° | SSE | 04:08:59 | 10° | SSE | 04:09:32 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 12 Oct | -3.0 | 05:43:02 | 10° | SW | 05:46:26 | 56° | SE | 05:49:48 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -1.9 | 04:56:05 | 12° | SSW | 04:58:57 | 32° | SE | 05:02:03 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -1.1 | 04:11:34 | 21° | SE | 04:11:34 | 21° | SE | 04:14:04 | 10° | E | visible |
| 14 Oct | -3.2 | 05:45:04 | 10° | WSW | 05:48:19 | 39° | NW | 05:51:30 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -2.5 | 20:49:15 | 10° | NNW | 20:51:14 | 26° | N | 20:51:14 | 26° | N | visible |
| 15 Oct | -3.9 | 05:00:34 | 66° | WSW | 05:00:56 | 77° | NW | 05:04:20 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.2 | 20:02:36 | 10° | N | 20:05:03 | 19° | NE | 20:07:31 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Oct | -1.9 | 21:38:28 | 10° | WNW | 21:40:59 | 32° | WSW | 21:40:59 | 32° | WSW | visible |
| 16 Oct | -1.6 | 05:50:05 | 11° | NW | 05:50:05 | 11° | NW | 05:51:08 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 16 Oct | -3.3 | 20:50:46 | 10° | NW | 20:54:10 | 64° | SW | 20:57:11 | 13° | SE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -3.7 | 20:03:20 | 10° | NW | 20:06:43 | 67° | NE | 20:10:08 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -0.7 | 21:41:42 | 10° | WSW | 21:43:50 | 15° | SSW | 21:45:58 | 10° | S | visible |
| 18 Oct | -1.2 | 20:53:25 | 10° | W | 20:56:11 | 23° | SSW | 20:59:00 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 19 Oct | -2.0 | 20:05:26 | 10° | WNW | 20:08:36 | 35° | SW | 20:11:49 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 20 Oct | -0.5 | 20:57:27 | 10° | SW | 20:58:28 | 11° | SSW | 20:59:29 | 10° | S | visible |
| 21 Oct | -0.8 | 20:08:36 | 10° | WSW | 20:10:44 | 15° | SSW | 20:12:53 | 10° | S | visible |
Passes from Brisbane (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 13 Oct | -2.9 | 04:29:26 | 10° | SSW | 04:32:48 | 53° | SE | 04:36:07 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -1.3 | 19:30:37 | 10° | NNW | 19:31:16 | 15° | NNW | 19:31:16 | 15° | NNW | visible |
| 14 Oct | -1.6 | 03:42:19 | 10° | SSW | 03:45:19 | 27° | SE | 03:48:16 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -2.7 | 18:43:42 | 10° | N | 18:46:37 | 27° | NE | 18:48:07 | 19° | E | visible |
| 14 Oct | -0.4 | 20:20:54 | 10° | W | 20:21:14 | 12° | W | 20:21:14 | 12° | W | visible |
| 15 Oct | -0.8 | 02:57:30 | 16° | SSE | 02:57:46 | 16° | SE | 02:59:58 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Oct | -3.0 | 04:31:30 | 10° | WSW | 04:34:37 | 33° | NW | 04:37:42 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.0 | 19:32:45 | 10° | WNW | 19:35:51 | 33° | SW | 19:37:53 | 18° | SSE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -3.9 | 03:46:59 | 66° | W | 03:47:15 | 71° | NW | 03:50:38 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -3.3 | 18:45:01 | 10° | NW | 18:48:23 | 66° | SW | 18:51:48 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -0.4 | 19:36:54 | 10° | SW | 19:38:01 | 11° | SW | 19:39:09 | 10° | SSW | visible |
| 18 Oct | -0.8 | 18:47:54 | 10° | W | 18:50:23 | 19° | SW | 18:52:53 | 10° | S | visible |
Passes from Darwin (ACT)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Oct | -2.9 | 19:41:43 | 10° | N | 19:44:29 | 30° | NE | 19:44:29 | 30° | NE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -0.4 | 05:37:48 | 10° | SSE | 05:38:56 | 11° | SE | 05:40:05 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -1.2 | 20:31:26 | 10° | W | 20:33:59 | 20° | SW | 20:34:24 | 20° | SW | visible |
| 14 Oct | -2.5 | 19:43:20 | 10° | NW | 19:46:33 | 43° | SW | 19:49:47 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.8 | 05:37:37 | 10° | SSW | 05:40:56 | 50° | SE | 05:44:12 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -1.3 | 04:50:43 | 10° | S | 04:53:28 | 23° | SE | 04:56:13 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -0.2 | 04:06:50 | 11° | ESE | 04:06:50 | 11° | ESE | 04:07:10 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -2.7 | 05:39:57 | 11° | WSW | 05:42:42 | 26° | NW | 05:45:35 | 10° | N | visible |
| 18 Oct | -2.4 | 04:56:45 | 30° | NNE | 04:56:45 | 30° | NNE | 04:58:38 | 10° | NNE | visible |
Passes from Hobart (AEDST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Oct | -0.2 | 03:04:58 | 11° | ESE | 03:04:58 | 11° | ESE | 03:05:05 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 12 Oct | -3.1 | 04:37:58 | 25° | SW | 04:39:43 | 56° | SSE | 04:43:07 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -2.0 | 03:53:04 | 33° | ESE | 03:53:04 | 33° | ESE | 03:55:30 | 10° | E | visible |
| 13 Oct | -3.0 | 05:26:06 | 11° | WSW | 05:29:01 | 34° | NW | 05:32:09 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -3.7 | 04:41:34 | 56° | NW | 04:41:40 | 57° | NW | 04:45:02 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -0.9 | 03:57:30 | 11° | ENE | 03:57:30 | 11° | ENE | 03:57:42 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -1.7 | 05:30:35 | 13° | NW | 05:30:36 | 13° | NW | 05:32:09 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.2 | 20:35:27 | 10° | N | 20:37:53 | 19° | NE | 20:37:53 | 19° | NE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -3.9 | 21:23:32 | 10° | NW | 21:26:58 | 84° | NE | 21:27:12 | 75° | E | visible |
| 17 Oct | -3.5 | 20:36:13 | 10° | NW | 20:39:33 | 50° | NE | 20:42:55 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -1.7 | 22:13:22 | 10° | W | 22:15:58 | 29° | SW | 22:15:58 | 29° | SW | visible |
| 18 Oct | -2.5 | 21:25:37 | 10° | W | 21:28:55 | 42° | SSW | 21:31:16 | 17° | SE | visible |
| 18 Oct | -0.3 | 23:03:47 | 10° | SW | 23:04:17 | 12° | SW | 23:04:17 | 12° | SW | visible |
| 19 Oct | -3.2 | 20:37:58 | 10° | WNW | 20:41:22 | 62° | SSW | 20:44:49 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 19 Oct | -1.4 | 22:15:57 | 10° | WSW | 22:18:42 | 21° | S | 22:19:14 | 21° | S | visible |
| 20 Oct | -1.5 | 21:28:06 | 10° | WSW | 21:31:02 | 25° | SSW | 21:33:56 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 20 Oct | -0.4 | 23:06:05 | 10° | SW | 23:06:55 | 14° | SSW | 23:06:55 | 14° | SSW | visible |
| 21 Oct | -1.9 | 20:40:16 | 10° | W | 20:43:23 | 31° | SSW | 20:46:32 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 21 Oct | -1.2 | 22:18:25 | 10° | SW | 22:20:58 | 19° | S | 22:21:28 | 18° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Melbourne (AEDST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Oct | -1.3 | 04:37:58 | 14° | SSW | 04:39:57 | 22° | SSE | 04:42:43 | 10° | E | visible |
| 13 Oct | -0.6 | 03:53:04 | 16° | SE | 03:53:04 | 16° | SE | 03:54:37 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -3.8 | 05:26:06 | 10° | SW | 05:29:34 | 88° | NW | 05:32:59 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -3.0 | 04:41:34 | 46° | S | 04:42:07 | 52° | SE | 04:45:28 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -1.3 | 21:20:37 | 10° | NNW | 21:21:14 | 14° | NNW | 21:21:14 | 14° | NNW | visible |
| 15 Oct | -0.6 | 03:57:30 | 11° | E | 03:57:30 | 11° | E | 03:57:44 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.7 | 05:30:34 | 24° | WNW | 05:31:20 | 26° | NW | 05:34:14 | 10° | N | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.7 | 20:33:41 | 10° | N | 20:36:34 | 26° | NE | 20:37:53 | 20° | E | visible |
| 15 Oct | -0.9 | 22:10:09 | 10° | W | 22:10:59 | 15° | W | 22:10:59 | 15° | W | visible |
| 16 Oct | -1.1 | 04:46:59 | 12° | NNE | 04:46:59 | 12° | NNE | 04:47:17 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -3.0 | 21:22:25 | 10° | WNW | 21:25:46 | 53° | SW | 21:27:12 | 30° | SSE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -3.8 | 20:34:53 | 10° | NW | 20:38:18 | 87° | NE | 20:41:46 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -0.9 | 22:13:13 | 10° | WSW | 22:15:31 | 16° | SSW | 22:15:59 | 16° | SSW | visible |
| 18 Oct | -1.2 | 21:25:04 | 10° | W | 21:27:52 | 22° | SSW | 21:30:40 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 19 Oct | -1.9 | 20:37:07 | 10° | W | 20:40:15 | 32° | SSW | 20:43:25 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 19 Oct | -0.4 | 22:17:15 | 10° | SSW | 22:17:55 | 10° | SSW | 22:18:35 | 10° | S | visible |
| 20 Oct | -0.6 | 21:28:30 | 10° | SW | 21:30:09 | 13° | SSW | 21:31:47 | 10° | S | visible |
| 21 Oct | -0.8 | 20:40:07 | 10° | WSW | 20:42:24 | 16° | SSW | 20:44:42 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Perth (AWST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Oct | -2.3 | 04:46:44 | 10° | SSW | 04:50:01 | 40° | SE | 04:53:15 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -1.3 | 03:59:38 | 10° | SSW | 04:02:30 | 24° | SE | 04:05:20 | 10° | E | visible |
| 14 Oct | -0.7 | 03:14:37 | 15° | SSE | 03:14:54 | 15° | SSE | 03:17:01 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -3.5 | 04:48:35 | 10° | SW | 04:51:56 | 50° | NW | 04:55:14 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -3.4 | 19:51:30 | 10° | NNW | 19:54:20 | 48° | NNE | 19:54:20 | 48° | NNE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -3.7 | 04:03:39 | 47° | SW | 04:04:32 | 80° | SE | 04:07:56 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.7 | 19:04:33 | 10° | N | 19:07:29 | 27° | NE | 19:10:26 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 15 Oct | -1.3 | 20:41:29 | 10° | W | 20:44:04 | 22° | SW | 20:44:04 | 22° | SW | visible |
| 16 Oct | -0.7 | 03:20:05 | 11° | ENE | 03:20:05 | 11° | ENE | 03:20:19 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -1.9 | 04:53:12 | 13° | WNW | 04:53:35 | 14° | NW | 04:55:22 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 16 Oct | -2.3 | 19:53:30 | 10° | WNW | 19:56:43 | 38° | SW | 19:59:58 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 17 Oct | -3.5 | 19:05:50 | 10° | NW | 19:09:14 | 73° | SW | 19:12:40 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 18 Oct | -0.6 | 19:56:52 | 10° | WSW | 19:58:51 | 15° | SSW | 20:00:52 | 10° | S | visible |
| 19 Oct | -1.1 | 19:08:27 | 10° | W | 19:11:12 | 22° | SW | 19:14:00 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Sydney (AEDST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Oct | -1.0 | 04:39:06 | 10° | SSW | 04:41:42 | 19° | SSE | 04:44:17 | 10° | E | visible |
| 13 Oct | -0.6 | 03:53:04 | 12° | S | 03:54:05 | 13° | SSE | 03:55:50 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 13 Oct | -3.8 | 05:27:51 | 10° | SW | 05:31:17 | 80° | NW | 05:34:41 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -3.0 | 04:41:34 | 19° | SSW | 04:43:51 | 53° | SE | 04:47:12 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -1.7 | 19:46:20 | 10° | NNE | 19:47:45 | 12° | NE | 19:48:07 | 12° | ENE | visible |
| 14 Oct | -0.8 | 21:20:51 | 10° | WNW | 21:21:14 | 12° | WNW | 21:21:14 | 12° | WNW | visible |
| 15 Oct | -1.4 | 03:57:30 | 24° | ESE | 03:57:30 | 24° | ESE | 03:59:26 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Oct | -2.4 | 05:30:34 | 11° | W | 05:33:01 | 21° | NW | 05:35:39 | 10° | N | visible |
| 15 Oct | -3.9 | 20:33:20 | 10° | NW | 20:36:45 | 84° | NE | 20:37:53 | 40° | SE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -2.5 | 04:46:59 | 27° | N | 04:46:59 | 27° | N | 04:48:54 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -3.3 | 19:46:07 | 10° | NNW | 19:49:21 | 42° | NE | 19:52:38 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 16 Oct | -1.1 | 21:23:48 | 10° | W | 21:26:19 | 19° | SSW | 21:27:12 | 17° | SSW | visible |
| 17 Oct | -1.7 | 20:35:41 | 10° | W | 20:38:43 | 29° | SW | 20:41:47 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 18 Oct | -2.7 | 19:47:51 | 10° | WNW | 19:51:10 | 50° | SW | 19:54:33 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 19 Oct | -0.6 | 20:39:17 | 10° | WSW | 20:40:55 | 13° | SSW | 20:42:34 | 10° | S | visible |
| 20 Oct | -0.9 | 19:50:44 | 10° | W | 19:53:14 | 19° | SSW | 19:55:46 | 10° | SSE | visible |
When and what you will see is VERY location dependent, so you need to use Heavens Above to get site specific predictions for your location, a small difference in location can mean the difference between the ISS passing over a star or planet or missing it completely.
As always, start looking several minutes before the pass is going to start to get yourself oriented and your eyes dark adapted. Be patient, there may be slight differences in the time of the ISS appearing due to orbit changes not picked up by the predictions. Use the most recent prediction for your site.
Labels: ISS, Satellite, unaided eye
# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 11:22 pm 
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